[Ord. No. 424,
passed 4-27-1987; Ord. No. 506, passed 8-14-1995]
As used in this chapter:
(a)
DWELLING — Means a single-family or multifamily unit, including
single-family and multifamily dwellings, guest houses, lodging houses,
boarding houses, and suites or single rooms of a hotel or motel providing
living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent or
temporary provisions for living, sleeping, cooking, eating and sanitation.
(b)
JURISDICTION — Means the governmental unit which has adopted
this chapter under due legislative authority.
(c)
OCCUPANCY — Means the purpose for which a building or a part
thereof is used or intended to be used. The term shall also include
the building, room or enclosed space that houses such use.
(d)
OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION — Means the various use groups as classified in the Michigan Building Code or in the most current published edition of the NFPA 1, as adopted in Chapter 1610, and all referenced standards.
[Amended 6-24-2019 by Ord. No. 821]
(e)
OWNER — Means any person who, alone, or jointly or severally
with others, shall have legal title to any building, structure or
premises with or without accompanying actual possession thereof, and
shall include the duly authorized agent or attorney, a purchaser,
devisee, fiduciary, and any person having a vested or contingent interest
in the property in question.
[Ord. No. 424,
passed 4-27-1987; Ord. No. 444, passed 1-20-1990]
(a)
It shall be the responsibility of the owner of each new and existing
dwelling, as hereinafter described, to install smoke detectors in
each unit. It is the responsibility of such owner to inform the renter
of any such dwelling of this chapter. Prior to renting any unit, the
owner shall inspect each smoke detector in the rental unit and ensure
that the detector is in working condition. The owner shall further
check the power system for each detector to make sure that it is in
good operating condition.
(b)
The maintenance and weekly testing of each detector shall be the
responsibility of the occupant of the dwelling unit, except in hotels,
motels or shortstay transit units where such testing shall be the
responsibility of the property owner. It is the further responsibility
of the occupant/renter to notify the owner of a defective or inoperable
smoke detector. The occupant/tenant shall be responsible, however,
for the replacement of batteries which wear out during the tenant's
occupancy.
(c)
In multi-unit dwellings, it shall be the responsibility of the owner
to check all smoke detectors in common areas once per month to make
sure that they are in working condition and that the power to the
smoke detector is sufficient to permit operation.
(d)
Smoke detectors shall be capable of sensing visible or invisible particles of combustion and providing a suitable audible alarm thereof. Further, they shall be installed by December 31, 1983, in the manner hereinafter provided (unless any other provision of City, State or Federal law shall require installation before that date). Failure to install smoke detectors as and where required by said date will subject the property owner to the penalty provided for in Section 1630.99.
(e)
It shall be the responsibility of the occupant/renter in both single-unit dwellings and within the dwelling area of multi-unit dwellings to check, maintain and/or keep all installed smoke detectors in operating condition. It shall be a violation of this chapter for any occupant/renter to remove, disable, damage or render inoperative any installed smoke detector. Failure of the occupant/renter to fulfill any responsibilities under this section will subject the occupant/renter to the penalty provided for in Section 1630.99.
[Ord. No. 424,
passed 4-27-1987; Ord. No. 506, passed 8-14-1995]
(a)
At least one smoke detector shall be installed to protect sleeping
areas. Additional smoke detector units may be required as determined
by the authority having jurisdiction. A sleeping area is defined as
the area or areas of a family living unit in which the bedrooms (or
sleeping rooms) are located. Where bedrooms or rooms ordinarily used
for sleeping are separated by other use areas (such as kitchens or
living rooms, but not bathrooms or closets), they shall be considered
as separate sleeping areas for the purpose of this section.
(b)
At least one smoke detector shall be installed at the head (top)
of each stairway leading up to an occupied area, in such a manner
as to assure that rising smoke is not obstructed in reaching the detector
and that the detector intercepts rising smoke before it reaches the
sleeping area.
(c)
Any new smoke detector required under this chapter shall be installed
at a location and according to the directions as determined by the
authority having jurisdiction. Placement shall be designated in order
to maximize the efficiency of the smoke detector unit and to prevent
interference with its operation.
[Ord. No. 424,
passed 4-27-1987]
As an alternative to self-contained smoke detectors, an approved
fire detection system may be installed and maintained. Each fire detection
system must be individually approved and a permit issued therefor
by the Fire Chief or his or her designee.
[Ord. No. 424,
passed 4-27-1987]
All devices, combinations of devices and equipment to be installed
in conformity with this chapter shall be labeled or listed by a national
testing laboratory for the purposes for which they are intended.
[Ord. No. 424,
passed 4-27-1987; Ord. No. 506, passed 8-14-1995]
In new construction, all smoke detectors shall be wired directly (hard wired) to the building's main electrical power supply that is not controlled by a switch other than the main power supply. All smoke detectors which are wired directly to the building's main electrical power supply shall have a battery backup and shall be interconnected so that if one detector activates, all will activate. Other smoke detectors may be alarms which meet the requirements of Section 1630.07.
[Ord. No. 424,
passed 4-27-1987; Ord. No. 506, passed 8-14-1995]
(a)
Except in new construction, electric plug-in smoke detectors may
be used and operated from a wall plug, provided the plug is fitted
with a plug restraining device, and provided the wall outlet power
supply is not controlled by a switch other than the main power supply.
(b)
Battery-type smoke detectors may be used, provided the batteries
are mounted to assure that the following conditions are met:
(1)
All power requirements are met for at least one year's
life.
(2)
A distinctive audible trouble signal is given before the battery
is incapable of operating (from aging, terminal corrosion, etc.) the
device(s) for alarm purposes.
(3)
For a unit employing a lock-in alarm feature, automatic transfer
is provided from the alarm to a trouble condition.
(4)
The unit is capable of producing an alarm signal for at least
four minutes at the battery voltage at which a trouble signal is normally
obtained, followed by seven days of trouble signal operation.
(5)
The audible trouble signal is produced at least once every minute
for seven consecutive days.
(6)
The monitored batteries meeting these specifications are clearly
identified on the unit near the battery compartment.
(7)
In the event that more than one violation of this subsection
occurs within a calendar year, the Fire Department may require the
owner to install one-hundred-ten-volt hardwire detectors with battery
backup power supply units the occupancy. The installation shall require
that there be a minimal level of protection to prevent tampering with
such devices and to prevent the direct failure of the device in protecting
the life safety of the occupant in fire conditions.
[Ord. No. 506,
passed 8-14-1995]
Smoke detectors shall, in all practical circumstances, be installed
at the ceiling center of each dwelling where required. In the event
that the center section shall be impractical, due to placement of
other fixtures or the layout of the room, the owner may, with the
approval of the authority having jurisdiction, place the smoke detector
in a different location. All such requests for alternative locations
shall be in writing and shall be directed to the authority having
jurisdiction.
